Golf ball marking machine



June 2,1, 1932. C. E BROMAN ETA'L 1,863,828V

GOLF BALL MARKING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1929 4 Sheets-@heet l I I m 12Z A0 D E F 151 J K L M N if I Z INVENTOR A TI'ORNEYS June 21, 1932- c,E. BROMAN ET AL l 1,853,828

GOLF BALL MARKING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 vINVENTOR Y War/e5 E .Emma/1 June 21, 1932. c. E. BROMAN E1' AL 1,863,828

GOLF BALL MARKING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1929 4 Sheng-sheet 3 Q/a/f ORNEYS ZZ 54 2b' June 2l, 1932. c. E. BROMAN E'r AL GOLF BALL MARKINGMACHINE Filed July 29, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR (/70/7/55-,f5/00mm? Patented June 21, 1932 narran Asfr-ares ea raar Prive cHAnLnsnBROMAN, or sPAnTmA-nn WALTER tru-Nowak, or GRAND RAPIDS, Y

MICHIGAN GOLF BALL MAR-KING MACHINE Application -led'July 29, 1929.Serial No. 331,898.v

VThe main objects of this invention are:

`F1rst, togprovide a machine for marking golf balls Which may be quicklyset up for the desired name or mark and quickly and easily operatedto'mark the balls.

Second, to; provide a machine having these advantages which is oit'large capacity, that is,\it is capable of rapid operation to mark aseries of balls.

Third, to provide a machine for marking golf balls producing clear markshaving sharply deiined outlines and without likelihood of smudgingthesurface of the ball as is likely to be the case Where ink is manuallyapplied by typeor by means of an inking pad.

lFourth, to provide a marking machine for golf balls in which all of theseri-es of characters or letters are uniformly printed.

Fifth, to provide a machine having these advantages which may be readilymanipulated by an inexperienced person or operator,- thereby renderingitpractical for use as a coin operated machine.

` Sixth, to provide a structure having there advantages Which iscomparatively simple and economical toproduce and at the same time notlikely to get out of repair. i

l Objectspertaining to details and economies of ourinventionwilldefinitely appear from n the description to follow. The invention isdefined in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features ofour inventionris clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawings in Whichf:

Fig. l is a 'fragmentary frontvieiv of our Y improved marking machinepartially in vertical section on line 1-1 of Figs. 2 and 3.

YF ig. 2 is a fragmentary view partially -in vertical section on line 22 of Figs. 1 andv 3. Fig. 3 a detail vieiv Ipartially in hori- Zontalsection on line 3&3 of Figs. 1, 2 and 4l. Fig. is an enlarged detailsectional View showing a golf ball in operative relation AtoV themarking device byt'ull lines and in dis'- charging positionby dottedlines, the ejector being shown in normal `position by full Vlines and inejectingposition by dotted lines.

F ig. lis an enlargeddetail'fragnientary view partially in verticalsection yshowing disksare brought into proper printing posifurtherdetails of the indicianumbers and the marking ribbon. i f

F ig. 6 is a 'fragment-ary plan view showing details of the characterdisks.

Fig. Tis a fragmentary perspectivefview 55 showing details of the coincontrolled .locking means. Y F ig. 8 is affragmentary sectional View ona line corresponding to line 8-8 of Fig. v7.

The embodiment; illustrated Vin the. accompanying drawings comprises abase lhaving a housing 2 in Which the operating mechanism is enclosed.This housing isprovided With an `opening 3 to receive the balls to bemarked and Va discharge opening l. 5 Mounted in spaced relation Within.the housing is ai pair of plate-like brackets'or frame members 5constituting supports for various-parts of the mechanism. vThesesupporting members 5 carry Vthe spindle 6 ofV the character disks 7.V,The character disks are: disposed sideby side for independent Yrotative adjustment, each disk carrying a character segment 8 and theembodiment illustrated containinglall ,the letters of the alphabet. Thedisks are alsoprovided with adjustment indicating character segments 9containing the same characters as the seg-` ments 8. The housing isprovided With an opening l0 inthe front thereof through which thelingenpieces 11 of the character disks project. Thesefinger pieces arebent or conformed so that their outer ends lie in. a uniformly spacedrelation for convenience in manipulation.`

The housing is .provided lWith a Window 12 through which the indiciaVcharacters vare visible so that the operator may determine by inspectionthrough this'vvindow When the tionV for the desired name and the set-upinspected before the printing operation.

To further facilitate the adjustment of the character disks We arrange asetof characters 13 along one edge of the opening 10, asshown in Fig. 1,so that the-positions Yofthe disks may he determined alining VtheVfinger pieces vviththis series of characters. This arrangementenablesveryrapid adjustment of the character disks andchecking to deter--100 mine whether or not the disks have been properly adjusted for theparticular mark desired.

To clear the machine or return the character disks to their normal orinitial position, we provide a yoke-like member 14, the arms of whichare pivotally mounted on thespindle 6 at the outside of the outer diskswith 10' its cross piece lying adjacent the peripheries thereof so that,when this clearingniember is swung upwardly, it engages-the fingerpieces on the character members, returning them to their initialposition. The clearing member is provided with a finger piece 15. l

To yieldingly hold the disks in their adjusted position, we provideaseries of holding pawls 16 which are mounted on a rod 17 extendingbetween the supporting brackets or plates 5, each of these pawls-beingvprovided with a roller 18 coacting `with the serrations 19 on thecharacter disks. The pawls are actuated by the springs 20.

The balls are carried into operative relation to .the character diskswith a rolling movement by means of a carriage designated generally bythe numeral 21 which reciprocates or travels in a plane parallel to theaxis of the rollers. V-This carriage comprises a pair of side members 22having inwardly projecting arms 23 connected by the bar 24, these sidemembers,the arms and bar in elect constituting the frame for thecarriage.

The carriage is provided'with a pair of rollers 25 journaled in the sidemembers of the carriage frame, the journals engaging longi tudinal slots26 in the spaced way members 27. The rollers are spool-shaped, that is,they are formed with a longitudinal concave curvature and spaced so asto form rolling supports for a golt` ball shown at 28. vThe journals ofthe rollers being in bearing engagement with the slots in the waymembers 27, the rollers are rotated as the carriage isreciprocated.thereby rolling' the ball and supporting it inrolling VAengagement withthe character members.

lln the embodiment illustrated the way members 27, are formed integrallyof a channel-shaped member 29 which is mounted upon the basel by .meansori-screws 30 engaging theI web 'of the member, 29.

The carriage is reciprocated by means ofl the lever 31 which. ,ispivoted-at 32, andvconnected to the cross V`member of thecarriage bymeans of the link 33. The lever projects through theslot of the adjacent.Way member.

When the carriage is in its initialpositionity is adapted to receive VaballV introduced through Vthe opening 3 as.v shown in Fig-.1. lVlien thecarriage reaches the end of its forward'stioketheball is automaticallyejected througlithe opening 4 bymeans of the ejector 34 whichispivoted-at 35 on the carriage and .provided lwith an arm 36 projectingtransversely Iof the carriage above the way and at the vrear of theball. j As the carriage' position.

approaches the end of its stroke the ejector engages the stop pin 37 sothat continued forward movement swings the ejector to the position shownby dotted lines in Fig. 4, thereby ej ecting the ball through theopening 4.

A second pin 38 is provided which is adaptcd to engage the nose of theejector `on the ret-urn movement of thel carriage, thereby throwing orreturning the ejector toits initial This stop pin 38 also serves tolimit the forward throw of the ejector.

The lever 31 is actuated from the hand lever 39 projecting through aslot 40 in the housing 2. This lever 39 is pivoted at 41 and lconnectedto the actuating lever 31 by means of the link 42. This connection is aThe carriage is returnedvto its initial posi-V tion by means of thespring 45. l

'To 'hold the actuating lever in its initial position we provide a stop46 mounted onv the rockshaft 47 and projecting at both sides of therockshaft. Oneend coacts withthe arm l48 of the actuating lever and the'other end coacts witii an arm`49 on the actuating lever, see Fig. 2. sothat the-lever is locked against movement in either direction when inits initial. position. V i The rockshatt is provided with an arin 5()operatively associatedvwith a tripping dog 5]. pivoted at 52 tocooperate with a coin actuated member 53. This member-53 is pivotedat54to lie vertically within the coin chute 55, it being held slight-lyoff the perpendicular by its engagement with the dog 51. Then a coindrops into the chute, the weight of the coin is sutiicient to swing themember Y53 on its pivot, thereby ractuating the dog 51 and through itreleasing the stop.

At the upper end of the chute is a coiny flector normally lies below theslot 59 through l which the coin is introduced. It anickelbe introduced,which is the coin'for which the particular machine is designed, it dropsupon the head 60 of the coin-deilector,.the weight being sufficient toswing the delector on its pivot and delivery the `coininto the chute. Inthe event a slug such as 61 is introduced (slugs commonly employedhaving holes therein), the slug will engage this head and is heldthereby until lthe head swin gs past the mouth of" the chute sothat..the slug is'. discharged outside of the chute. Y To insure a.complete stroke of the carriage and prevent reciprocating it backandforth,

balls might Abe marked with one freeing of the mechanism, we mount 'arack 62 on'yan arm 63 connected to the actuating lever.v

This rack coacts witha stop pawl 64 pivoted at 65 andsupportedyieldingly by means of tliespring 66. As the lever is actuatedto move the carriage forwardly, this pawl engages the i'ack,'lyingthereon until it passes ofi' the end of the rack .at the completeactuation or" the carriage, which peimits .the lever being returned toits initial position.

The coiled'spring -67 connected to this arm, 63 acts to return theactuating lever to its initial position.

The marking material is preferably an indelible carbon ribbon 68 whichis supported in a trough-like holder 69at the front of the machine. Thisribbon is carried over the guide roller 70 to the supporting plate 7l,see

,F ig. 5, the roller and plate being arranged to support the ribbon iiioperative-relation to thev character disks. f Y p A driving roller 72 ismounted at the rear ot the plate Plpand above this is the Winding roller73 ioatingly supported in the vertical slot 74 inthe brackets 5. Thedriving rolle-r is adapted to feed the ribbon and, owing to the factthat the winding roller rests on the driving roller, the frictionalengagement thereofrotatesthe winding roller.

The driving roller .is provided with .a ratchet wheelV 75 with which'thepawl 7 6 .coacts. This pawl is mounted on a pivot 77 on the arm 63. Thepinr78 serves tovliinit the downward movement ofthis pawl.

VOwing to the pin and slot orrlost motion connection for the actuatinglever to the link 42, the initial movement of the actuating lever willadjust the ribbon prior to actuation of the carriage. Continued movementof the actuating lever moves the carriage vforwardly and, as stated.carries Ythe ball into rolling engagement with the characters with theresult that the name, initials or `other identifying idicia is uniformlyprinted upon the surface ot the hall.

Our improved markingmachine .may be quickly set up byunskilledpersonsasitis l only necessaryto adjust the characterdisks,

introduce the. ball, drop the coin (where the machine is coincontrolled), and actuate the lever. Once set up' the machine may bemanipulated rapidly and may be quickly cleared Jfor resetting. Themarking medium is such that-the charactermembers donot become fouled orrequire cleaning. The result is that. the machine requires very'littleattention to keep it in operative` condition. Further, the

parts are arrangedso that they are not easilyV disarranged or broke-n.`

le have illustrated and described our improvements in an embodimentwhicliwe have Jfound highly practical. It .isbelieved Ythat thisdisclosure wfll enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt ourimprovements as may be desired. Y

`Havingthus described our Vinvention `what we claim as new and Vdesireto secure by Let-v ters Patent is: i

l. vIn a machine of the class described, the combination with a casingprovided with opposed receiving and discharge openings, a marking meansdisposed within said casing and comprising a pluralityof indicia members1 capable of independent adjustment tromthe exteriorrof the casingvwhereby selectedvindic-ia. may be brought into alinement, a waydisposed in spaced relation to said indie-ia members, a carriagereciprocatingly` mounted on said way and adapted to rotatably support aball and c-airyit intorotative engagement With'the alined characters,means tor manually reciprocating said carriage,an ejector memberpivotally mounted. on said carriage, and a stop on said way withwhichsaid ejector member engages as the carriage approaches the endetits stroke whereby the ball is automatically ejected from the carriagethrough said discharge opening, the carriage Vin its initial positionbeing adapted Jc-o-receive a'ball introduced throughsaid receivingopening.

2. In 'a machine of the class desc-ribechthe combination with a casing,a marking means disposed within said casing and comprising a pluralityof indiciamembers capable of -independent adjustment from the exteriorofthe casing whereby selected indicia may vbe brought into alinement,away disposed in spaced relation to and transversely of saidv indiciamembers, a. carriage reciprocatingly `mounted on said way andadapted'torotate the work and car it into rotative enOaUement with thealined characters, and means for manually reciprocating said carriage.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination` of a waycomprising spaced longitudinally slotted members, a carriage comprisingsidemembers connected by a cross piece disposed through said slots andapair of spaced conca-ved rollers having journals traveling in saidslots and engaging said side members whereby the -ro'llersare rotated-on the actuation of the carriage vand constituteA means for supportingand rotating aball as the carriage travels along the way, a plurality ofcharacter units eachprovided with a plur, ality 'of characters mountedfor independent adjustment whereby selected characters may be broughtinto parallel relation tosaid way transversely of-saidcliaracterjunitsand centrally yof saidroll-ers, and means for reciprocating saidcarriage. 1

t. In a machine of the class described, the combination of away, a4carriage provided witha pair of spaced concaved dri-ven rollersconstituting means :tor rotatably supporting and rotating a ball as thecarriage travels along the way, a plurality of character units? eachprovided `with a plurality of characters mountedVV for indepei'ident adjustment Whereby selected `characters may be brought linto parallelrelation to said way, and meansfor reciprocating said carriage. Y

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pluralityof character disks having peripherally disposed characters mounted on acommon axis for independent rotativev adjustment, a'carriage mounted totravel in a plane parallel to theaxis of the character disks andtransversely of the faces thereof, work supporting rollers on saidcarriage, and means whereby lsaid 'rollers are rotated to roll the worktransversely acros the face of the character disks as the carriage isactuated. 4

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a way, acarriage provided with means for rotating the Work as the carriagetravels along the way, a plurality of character vunitseachv providedwith a plurality of characters mounted for independent adjustmentwhereby selected characters may be brought into parallel relation tosaid way, and means for actuating said carriage.

7."In a machineot` thel class described, the combination ot' areciprocatingly mounted work carriage, indicia members adjustablymounted side by side and cach provided with' a plurality of characterswhereby selected characters may be alined transversely of said indiciamembers, a way disposed transversely klili of saidindicia members,and acarriage re-V ciprocatingly mounted on said way and' provided with worksupporting and rotating means actuated by the movement of the carriageon the way to roll the Work across the alined lcharacters on theactuation Y'of' the carriage. e

V8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pluralityot character units, each provided with a plurality of characters wherebythey maybe adjusted to aline the desired characters transversely of saidcharacter members, acarriage way disposed transversely of said characterunits, and a' car-` riage traveling on said way and provided with worksupporting and rotating means whereby'the work is rotated on theactuation of the carriage. t

9, In a machine of the class described for marking golf balls, thecombination ot a reciprocatingly mounted work carriage, and' markingcharacters disposed with their faces inV a. plane -parallel to the' path:of the-car'- riage, Vsaid, carriage being provided Vwith means actuatedby the movement of the carriage for rotating the work asit is carriedacross the marking characters. Y f i 10.v In a machine oftheclassde'scribedfor marking golf balls, the combination with a markingmeans, ot a carriage travelinginA a plane parallel to the planeof theface of the marking means, work'supporting rollers on said carriage, andmeansy whereby said rollers are rotated to roll the work acrossthemarking characters upon the actuationof the carrlage.`

Y our hands n. In a machineefthe dass derseabeafori Leashes marking golfballs, the combination of a reciprocatmgly mounted carriage, means forrotatably supporting the work on said carriage actuated to rotateI thework by the actuation of the carriage, and marking characters disposedin aplane parallel ,to the path of thecarriage so that the workisrotatably engaged with said marking characters upon the actuation ofthe carriage. e Y

12.v In a machine of the class described, the Combination 'of areciprocatingly mounted Work carriage, character members mounted inopposed relation .to said carriage, amarking ribbon, guiding andsupporting means for said ribbon whereby it is supported in operativerelation to said characters, an actuating lever having a lost motionoperating connection to said carriage, a feed roller for said ribbon,and `operating connections for said leverto vsaid feed roller wherebythe ribbon is advanced during the initial stroke of the lever and priorto the actuation of the carriage. I y c 13. In a machine of the classdescribed, the combination of marking characters, a marking ribbonoperatively.associated with said characters andprovided withfeed means,a

.work carriage for traversing the work across whereby the markingribbonisshifted in advance of the actuation of the carriage.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pluralityof characterunits each provided with a plurality of characters andsupported so that they may be adjusted to Valigl'i the desired charactertransversely of the character units, means for rotatingandsimultaneously ytraversing the work across said character units, thework Lrotating means being independent ofthe rotation that results fro1nthe engagement of thel work with the character units, and amarkingelement operatively connected to said work traversing meanswhereby the'marking element is actuated by thecarriage actuating meansprior to the work'stroke of the carriage. Y

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pluralityof character units each provided with a plurality of characters andsupported so that they may be adjusted that results'from the engagementof the work with the character units." l v f .Y 'Y In witnessnwhereof wehave hereunto set CHARLES E. ,BRoMANyQ WALTER H. NowAK.

